Between Hope and Death
By: ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: Some characters belong to the magnificent authoress, Diana Wynne Jones. I just borrowed them for a while.
Claimer: I only own Wyn, Aidan, Kamania and Chris Aprilian, Lady Kachioin (and her village), Miss Coca, Mr. Calypso, Professor Weph, Life, Death, Apocalypse, Rhys, and 'the voice'.
To ness: When it comes to 'Little Lizard' I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I'm fairly sure he'll be Rhys, but not the 'normal, applesauce-hating-Rhys.' I'm positive they'll be no time traveling involved in that, but I'm not sure exactly how the toddler's acting the way he is…Maybe I'll figure out some more details on that in this chapter…
As for the last chapter, I liked the action too. Aidan finally got his 'moment.' ^_^ Thanks for reviewing!
A/N: This chapter's a little weird…I'm not sure if I like it…
Chapter 10: In Which Its Discovered 'Little Lizard' Has Two Parts to Him
Wyn gave a hopeful smile to her baby brother as he stood among other young aspiring wizards. She, the rest of the family, and Aidan were all sitting in the front seats at an auditorium in Kingsbury. Rhys was standing on the wooden stage, his huge, long-flowing sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He had a floppy pointed hat of the same shade of dark navy as the trailing robes and he looked somewhat distraught, his eyes darting about nervously and his knees quaking.
Rhys had become the youngest student at the school at the age of four and had now completed his first year. He had magic lessons three times a week with the other wizards and was becoming steadily more comfortable at doing spells. He also had two art lessons every week, which included drawing, painting, and sculpting.
Wyn was now twenty years old and feeling far too old. She lived with Aidan in a small flat in Porthaven where she often helped out the many people in the town with minor spells. She mixed potions daily in her basement and would frequently come upstairs covered in grime and backfired concoctions. She had realized she liked creating powders, inventing spells, and making brews and had sort of become the town's 'little witch.'
As for Aidan he transported to Kingsbury most mornings to help his father with his spell shop. Sometimes he would show a few of Wyn's mixtures to Mr. Calypso who would laugh and say something like, "An interesting brew. Have Wyn write down the recipe for me. I'll pay Porthaven's 'little witch' for this," or, "I bet this could get rid of the biggest warts." Aidan would smile and think, 'He really does like Wyn.'
Morgan waved at Rhys who only smiled weakly in return. Then, Rhys head shot up as an elegant looking teacher stepped in front of the stage and began the first year graduation ceremony. "Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Madame Cyerti and I would like to introduce you all to this year's hard-working first year graduates," she began, "Today my youngest student will demonstrate our most challenging spell this year. Without further ado, please give a warm welcome to Rhys Jenkins."
The Jenkins family, Aidan, Wizard Suliman, Lettie, Michael, and Martha all yelled joyfully causing Rhys to gulp and blush deeply. He stepped forward, nearly tripping over his robes, and said timidly, "Hello…Um…Oh ya! My name's Rhys and I'm going ta do a transforming spell." He gulped one last time before bending down and slowly shifting and changing. His ropes melted into his body and thick black scales took their place. His neck grew long and his nose turned into a long dark snout. Out of his back grew large bat like wings, which stretched and flapped faintly. Rhys was gone and in his place was a small raven black dragon about the size of a horse.
Several people in the audience looked stricken and Madame Cyerti appeared downright confused. "He said he was going to turn into something small and harmless," she muttered to one of the frightened first years.
Rhys yawned slightly and one tiny flame crept out of his mouth and was quickly retracted. He grinned in a strange lizard like way, with his forked tongue lolling out, and turned back to normal. Once again he stood on the stage seemingly small, but pleased now.
Madame Cyerti stepped forward, one finger pointed at Rhys accusingly, and said, "That wasn't small and harmless, Mr. Jenkins!"
"That was a really small dragon," Rhys defended himself, "and besides I wouldn't hurt anybody!" His voice had gotten lower and it didn't really sound the voice of a four year old anymore
Madame Cyerti still looked upset, but she calmed down enough to finish the ceremony and give out tiny mock diplomas. Rhys on the other hand appeared a bit angry at being yelled at and scowled continually throughout the rest of the graduation. It was almost like he was another person…
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Aidan could hear furious mumbled words in his head as he sat in his and Wyn's messy kitchen. ' 'Little Lizard' is that you?' he thought.
'That jerk! Oh…oops. Yes, it's me, Aidan. I was just mad at someone,' came the hasty reply.
'I see. Can I ask who you're angry at?' Aidan inquired.
'Sorry, Aidan. Not a chance. Let's just say some people don't know something fascinating when they see it,' answered 'Little Lizard.'
'Alright, fine, but can you please fume quieter?' Aidan asked.
'Deal. Gotta go. Bye,' and then 'Little Lizard' was gone.
Aidan wrinkled his brow. 'Who is this kid?' he wondered wordlessly. As he left the room he caught a little smidgen of 'Little Lizard's' thoughts again.
'How could she say that to ME!'
'Calm down. It's not so bad,' said another, younger voice.
'Alright, but we'll show her!'
'Okay, don't be too mean though.'
'Fine.'
'Two voices?!' Aidan thought anxiously, 'How can that be?!' He shivered nervously.
How could someone have two voices in their head like that?
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"You'll like her, I promise, Wyn!" whined Morgan. They were sitting in a restaurant in Market Chipping sipping coffee and waiting for Morgan's latest girlfriend to show up. "Come on! If you don't like her I'll dump her! You seem to have a knack of deciding who is or isn't 'evil' or too stupid for her own good," he continued.
"Whatever. I'll stay, but I'm warning you, you'd better not break that promise!" Wyn threatened.
She glowered down at her cup, but looked up slowly when Morgan shouted, "Mac, I'm so happy you could meet me on such short notice! This is my lil' sister, Bronwyn. Wyn, this is Mackenzie Twiff."
"Nice to meet you, Bronwyn," said Mackenzie.
Wyn immediately noticed she had very white teeth and a bushy mop of coiled platinum blond hair. 'Well, I can see why Morgan's decided this is his next victim. I guess I should start testing her…' she thought.
"Call me Wyn," she said bluntly, "How old are you, by the way?"
"I'll be twenty-two next week," Mackenzie replied as she sat down at the table across from Morgan.
"I see. Where did you go to school?" Wyn inquired.
"Dwayne Wrill Juliton College in the town of Opleway," answered Mackenzie brightly, "Oh and you can call me Mac."
"Alright," said Wyn. She had realized Mac seemed pretty intelligent, and she didn't get any weird feelings from her so she concluded she was probably okay for Morgan to date.
Could she really have discovered someone at least somewhat normal for Morgan?
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Rhys sat in his bedroom posing his miniature dragon models. 'Whatcha want, Dragon Enchanter?' he asked silently.
'Don't call me that!' retorted 'Little Lizard.' He added with affection, 'We're the real Dragon Enchanter only as a whole.'
'You said you were part of me. Tat makes you the Dragon Enchanter too,' noted Rhys in his young voice.
'Yes, I'm the other half of the Dragon Enchanter,' said 'Little Lizard.'
'Hmm. Will I be like Wyn, Morgan, Mommy, and Daddy like you too?' Rhys asked.
'Possibly. It all depends on if we survive the battle against Apocalypse,' replied 'Little Lizard' seriously.
'Tell me what we have ta do again, 'Lil' Lizard,' said Rhys.
'Alright,' said the other, 'Oh and don't call me 'Little Lizard.' You're the 'Little Lizard, kid.'
'But you ta one who told Aidan ta call ya tat!' protested Rhys.
'I know, its just because we were one person at the time. Do you understand?'
'Nope.'
The voice sighed and explained, 'We are the 'Little Lizard' because of your inexperience, Rhys. By ourselves we're just two halves of a whole. I may be half of your spirit, but I've been preparing for this for a millennia.'
'I think I kinda get it,' replied Rhys, 'by what's 'inexpertince' mean?'
'Its inexperience, Rhys, and it means lack of wisdom from not enough experience,' answered the voice.
'Okay. One more thing. What's 'wisdom' mean?' inquired Rhys.
'Oh boy,' muttered the voice laughingly.
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"Two voices?!" Wyn exclaimed.
Aidan had told her about his conversation with 'Little Lizard' and what he had heard afterwords. "Yep. It was strange. Almost like there where two minds in the same body…" he replied.
"How can that be?" Wyn wondered out loud.
"I'll ask my father tomorrow about any spells that can do that to two people," Aidan said.
"Good. I'll do that too. I sure would like to know who this 'Little Lizard' really is?" said Wyn.
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The voice sat protectively in Rhys's mind watching little bits of Rhys's dreams float through the air. Rhys seemed to be dreaming about flying pencils for some reason and every once and a while, the voice almost laughed at the strange sight. Being a bodiless spirit, the first thing he had done when he had found the other half of his 'heart' was to protect the weaker, more precious part with everything he could. He didn't need sleep, having no body and all, so that was what he did each night.
'If we survive this and you get a little older, we'll finally be whole, Rhys,' he thought. He knew his words wouldn't wake Rhys's heavy sleeping so he didn't bother worrying.
A sudden rustling noise could be heard nearby in
Rhys's mind and the voice stood up noiselessly. As the voice peered into Rhys's
hazily lit mind, he saw something that made his 'fingers' tense. There was a Sifrai
in Rhys's own brain!
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A/N: *evil laughter*
Reviewers: *glaring and holding up pots and pans threateningly*
Me: -_- Ah oh…I didn't mean to write a cliffhanger, honest!
A/N 2: Anyway, you might be asking were this 'voice' comes from right now.
Well, you'll just have to wait till the next chapter is posted before you find out how Rhys came to be only 'one parts of a whole heart.'
Don't forget to review! Remember the more reviews the faster I update!
A/N 3: I'm also working on another new story that's taking up some of my time as well. I don't like it's beginning, but I like all the other chapters of it, so if I decide on a new first chapter, I might post that story too…
A/N 4: REVIEW OR ELSE!!!!!!! *more evil laughter*
^_-